1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for utilizing the energy of ocean currents and more particularly to a transducer for converting the energy of a tidal or nontidal ocean current to the energy of a high-pressure fluid or another form of energy.
2. Prior Art
In view of the fact that the earth will in several decades run out of energy resources now relied on, various attempts have been proposed to utilize other sources of nergy. One such effort is the conversion of the energy of tidal ocean currents to electric energy. I have invented a transducer apparatus for utilizing such tidal energy as disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,071,305, patented on Jan. 31, 1978, the apparatus including impellers which are rotatably disposed in sea-water channels below plenum and can be propelled by the flow of a tidal current for producing a high-pressure fluid. My energy transducer was initially intended to be anchored to the bottom of the sea, but may be suspended underwater by suitable floats, as shown in FIG. 10 of the accompanying drawings, to utilize the energy of nontidal ocean currents far off shore.
Such floating transducers would be disadvantageous in that they tend to joggle or rock back and forth under storm conditions, allowing pressurized air to escape from the plenum rooms.